Andrew Betkowski

Discovered as a spotty teenager in the David Magarshack Penguin Classics translation and have since lost count of the number of times that I have reread this incomparable masterpiece. Perhaps The Idiot comes closest in stature out of all his other great novels but this would be my desert island book. It really has everything, from the amazing characters, large and small, the humour the horror and the humanity all tied together in a plot that is endlessly satisfying. Oh no, I’m going to read it again! Out of all the other translations that are still available I think the Ignat Avsay, Oxford, is the best but I’ve not tried the David McDuff, Penguin, version. I’m not a big fan of the Pevear translation, as the tone doesn’t feel right, but whatever version you first read I’m sure you’ll find it a wonderful experience that you’ll be drawn to again and again.